Open Your Eyes
by Cheetoh
Summary: Because I need you to look into mine. NaruSasu SasuNaru
1. Chapter 1

Open Your Eyes

--

Because I need you to look into mine.

--  
_All this feels strange and untrue  
and I won't waste a minute without you  
my bones ache, my skin feels cold  
and I'm getting so tired and so old_

--

**AN:** Oh dear. :( I'm at it again. Maybe I'll finish this story... I plan on it being fairly short. Maybe 7ish chapters.

I don't own Naruto, and before anyone asks... this is kind of a song fic, I guess. Song is by **Snow Patrol **- **Open Your Eyes**

* * *

The rain pounded harshly against the window in front of him, streaking down the glass and out of sight and mind. Heavy, lidded eyes flickered, a single mantra filling his mind-

_Just one more minute…_

His head ached and pounded, and he sniffed pitifully. The doctor said it was just a cold- but he doubted the man knew who he was. He didn't get _colds_. A cough ripped its way out of his throat, and the nurse sent him a disapproving frown, obviously wondering why he fought so hard to stay awake, when it was clear all he really wanted and needed was sleep. But his eyes stayed glued to the grey, angry clouds above, and all around him.

Just like that day.

The wind blew harsh and quick against the trees outside, making one bend over and scratch ominously against the glass as the nurse grumbled about getting them cut. She finally gave him one last look, having finished whatever she had been doing – honestly he didn't care – and walked back out into the hall, the door clicking shut softly behind her. He sighed in relief, muscles relaxing as he sank back into the mildly comfortable pillow that was propped up against the headboard.

The clouds parted briefly, a soft ray of light peeking through before it was covered again. He smiled, blue eyes closing and he sagged into the blankets, curling up into their pleasant warmth.

He hadn't fallen asleep in someone's presence for nearly 7 years, and a _cold_ wasn't going to break that record.

--

The morning found him gone, like it always did; leaving the nurses to scramble and fret until they found his note and money. Forever on the move, and he wasn't going to stop for a cold. Not now, and not ever. He coughed, covering his mouth with one hand, the other gripped tightly onto the backpack he carried. The crowd parted ever so slightly around him, taking in his pale face and red eyes and nose, but otherwise paid him no mind. He was no one of importance; at least not to them.

He was just a man out and about, doing whatever he pleased.

Going, wherever he wished, and sometimes where he didn't.

That's all he knew anymore- go forth, travel. Explore the world- stop and smell the roses; linger and go at the paces he and he alone set. The wind blew through his hair and clothes, and he shivered.

There we times that he sorely missed Konoha- the place he grew, laughed, loved. He missed the warmth, the greenery, the familiar faces and places. The ramen stand that he still swore sold the best ramen anywhere- and trust him, he had been everywhere.

There really wasn't anything waiting for him there, anymore, though. Jiraiya was long gone; and he knew he probably had taken more than his fair share of Tsunade's years from her, and he refused to take anymore. Kakashi had gone missing somewhere around his 3rd year of travelling, or so he'd heard through the grapevine. It had been a while before he could honestly tell himself he wasn't searching for a silver-haired man in the crowds around him.

Sakura had eventually given into Lee's advances; he heard she was expecting her 2nd child. The first had been born a year and a half ago- maybe. He didn't keep a very good track of time- the only times that mattered to him were sunrise and sunset.

They didn't need him; and that was just fine.

He pulled his jacket tighter, and ducked his head.

Maybe if he told it to himself enough, it would make it true.


	2. Chapter 2

Open Your Eyes

--

Because I need you to look into mine.

--  
The anger swells in my guts  
And I won't feel these slices and cuts  
I want so much to open your eyes  
'Cause I need you to look into mine

* * *

He wasn't sure what to think, honestly.

The wind ran through his hair and clothes, the chill creeping into his bones. A gloved hand settled on the katana at his side, fingers tapping on its hilt softly. Black eyes blinked briefly, and he frowned at the feelings rising in his chest. Was it… relief? To be home, after so long? To be in a place he knew as well as the back of his hand; to see the familiar mountain carved with faces that he had grown up seeing?

Or was it regret, for leaving in the first place? Leaving had done far more harm than good; he wondered how anyone could forgive him… or if he even deserved it.

_No… probably not._

He hesitated, before taking a step forward and into the street, uncomfortably aware of the stares; he had arrived nearly a week ago, and he was sure that rumors had run rampant through the village. The Hokage had been reluctant of his return, a strange gleam that made him wonder if she might start crying. For what reason he wasn't sure- why would his return be of any emotional importance to her?

It had taken a week of being monitored and probed and poked, to make sure that he wasn't on some sort of agenda… and even now he could feel the stare of a couple of ANBU, trailing him from the shadows.

The whispers were getting louder, and he fought the urge to duck his head, instead speeding up his pace, the comforting weight of his sword at his hip was the only thing that kept him from running. Pride had been mostly tossed away somewhere along the line- it was a useless feeling, and got in the way more than it had helped.

He felt his chest tighten, and he stopped, a run-down apartment catching his eye. Graffiti littered its surface, faded insults to the only occupant that had lived there faded and chipped, leaving half-expressed pain and anger.

_**Monster.**_

_**Demon.**_

_**Murderer.**_

He made his way inside and up the stairs, not bothering to knock or otherwise announce his presence- it's not like he needed to, anyway. The man was long, long gone.

The door creaked open slowly, and the feeling in his chest tightened.

It wasn't relief, and it wasn't regret, that made him feel this way. Fingers ghosted over dusty walls, and his feet left footprints in the grime at his feet. The apartment was small and stifling, and he made his way to the window and jerked it up, a loud screech accompanying the action.

There wasn't much left; Naruto had reportedly taken anything of value with him when he went, and left what he could live without. He vaguely remembered Naruto complaining, long ago, about the lack of stuff in his apartment.

The sunshine poured in through the open window, and the headband he had been trying very hard to ignore glinted weakly in the light. It was his old one; a long, deep scratch marring its surface.

_That_ feeling was something he had felt far too much of in his life; sadness.

That headband was a clear message.

"_I've given up on you."_

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, in a long forgotten apartment that held more soul than he thought anyone else could ever have, in such a small space.

--

It took several weeks to make that apartment suitable for living in again, aided by a mostly silent Iruka, and even more silent Sakura.

Sakura's silence disturbed him even more than her chattering had, as a child. She would give him these looks; and he a feeling she was seeing right through him, and gazing at a much younger version of himself. Not that he could blame her, he had a hard time not staring longer than was polite, though not out of lechery or anything perverse. It had been so long since he had actually _looked_ at her.

She had grown her hair out slightly, where it rested on her shoulders lightly. Her headband had moved to its proper place on her forehead, proudly baring scratches and dents in the metal, a story of times long past. Her eyes were still a vibrant green, a tired sort of understanding in their depths.

--

He sat at a small table, tea growing colder by the minute, as he stared at the picture resting innocently in front of him.

It featured all four of them- Kakashi, himself, Sakura, and Naruto. Kakashi's hands placed warningly on the tops of both their heads "_Behave."_ Left unsaid, as they glared over Sakura and at each other. It almost made him smile.

He had taken over Naruto's old apartment as his own(because really, he had no intention of returning to his old… house, because it was not, and would never again be a home), with reluctant permission from the Hokage. The outside had been given a fresh coat of paint, covering the hateful words. The inside had also been repainted, the windows replaced with clear, sturdy glass. The floors had been replaced, as the old ones groaned ominously underfoot, and scratches marred their surface.

He had knocked down the walls and made the apartment much bigger than it had ever been. Nobody else dared live there anyway- too many emotional scars and rumors of haunting prevented anyone save himself and anyone else who knew better, from ever stepping foot inside the doors.

That was when he started to feel angry.

Why did Naruto think he was allowed to leave Konoha? What a fucking hypocrite. He wasted half of his youth, chasing after him, threatening to break every bone in his body, and drag him purposefully through mud on the way home. He had been so angry; so infuriated that Sasuke had left, without him. Why had he left?

Why did he give up, leave a place he bragged that he would someday protect, with all his being as their Hokage? The Naruto he knew would never do that- too naïve, too young, too foolishly and obnoxiously believed that everything was black and white. He hoped that Naruto was still out there somewhere- his best friend, the light in his darkness.

It was that day, he decided to break every bone in Naruto's body, and drag him purposefully through the mud on the way home.

--

It had taken longer than he had hoped to get Tsunade to let him leave in search of the missing boy. He knew, after having lived here for a year, that Tsunade wanted him back just as much as he did. He knew, however, that she believed him to be dead.

After all, why would he stay gone so long?

But in the end, he won. Bags packed and Iruka left in charge of the occasional house-visit to make sure everything was in order while he was away, and he was off.

It took a year and a half to hear anything about a man with blonde hair and whisker marks on his cheeks.

It took 5 months and 3 weeks to find the hospital he had been in for a cold.

It took 2 hours and 18 minutes to find his footprints.

--

He stifled another cough, and pulled his jacket tighter around himself. It had started to rain, again, and he huddled under the sparse cover of a tree. He stared moodily at his feet, a hand coming up to wipe his nose – which was wonderfully numb, he thought sarcastically – and shivered.

Next stop would be out of Rain Country, damnit. Screw this weather and the rain and- and- and who the hell was walking toward him from the road? He squinted, face muscles already tightening and scowling unpleasantly at whoever had decided to bother him. He had gotten into more fights pretending to be a civilian than when he had been a shinobi- at least then they were at least wary that he _might_ kick their ass.

As the man got closer, Naruto could feel his breath freeze in his chest. His hands dropped to his sides, and his mouth whispered nonsensical profanities that Iruka would surely hit him for.

"You… _you…_!" He knew he was probably turning purple in the face- anger swept through him like lava, burning and boiling his blood.

How dare him. How _DARE_ he show his face?

He looked- older, he noted dimly, and he felt his anger deflating like a popped balloon. Fatigue took its place, and he closed his eyes, stance sagging and he leaned back against the tree, staring up into its leaves rather than Sasuke's face.

"What do you want?" His voice sounded strange even to himself- he hadn't talked much since he left, he was faintly surprised that his voice sounded as strong as it did. He sniffed, and coughed once more, opening an eye when Sasuke didn't reply, instead staring with a stern, confused expression on his face.

Naruto almost laughed- realizing what the problem was.

Sasuke had no idea what to say.

He didn't think he'd ever seen Sasuke speechless, and had it been a few years back, he might have made fun of the Uchiha for it. As it was, he stood silently, waiting for whatever the other man had to say; after all, he had obviously taken great pains to find him, if the leaf in his hair was any indication.

After what seemed like forever, he opened his mouth, and the words that fell from his lips had his eyes snapping open, a sneer curling his face unpleasantly.

"We're going home."

He barked out a hoarse laugh, his throat screaming at him for it. "Home? And where is that, eh? I didn't think deserters _had_ homes." He spat angrily, fists clenching. Sasuke didn't so much as twitch, and his fists clenched tighter as he looked away.

Typical Sasuke; didn't give a damn about what anyone wanted, everything… everything was always' Sasuke's way or the highway. He coughed, again, and turned away- out from the cover of the tree and back out into the rain. "Fuck off, Sasuke. I'm not going anywhere with you, not now… not ever."

He didn't even hear it coming- and suddenly he was on his face, mud getting into his nose and mouth. He hacked and spit, near murderous anger welling up inside of him. He was rusty- and he knew it. Sasuke would kick his ass to hell and back, but he wasn't going to let that _bastard_ smirk condescendingly down at him.

He sagged, inwardly grinning when Sasuke tensed in surprise, before slowly starting to get up from his position on his back- mistake.

He flipped over, grabbing Sasuke's haori and pulled him down, foreheads banging together with a loud, sickening thunk. He hissed in surprise, hands flying up to his now pounding headache, and stumbled backwards, slipping slightly in the mud. Naruto's eyes began to dance, and he wondered when the last time he'd actually been in a real, true fight had been.

_Too long._

Without warning, he sprinted forward, arm cocked back and ready to smash into the asshole's face, but Sasuke looked up in time and caught his fists, raising his knee and slammed it against his chin. Blood filled his mouth, but Naruto grit his teeth and smiled treacherously, taking that opportunity to grab Sasuke's leg and swing him into the mud, smearing the brown, stinking ooze into his pretty-boy duckbutt hair. He was breathing hard by now, and he felt his muscles quiver, but excitement coursed through his veins, as he wiped blood away from his chin.

Sasuke rolled out of the way of Naruto's sandaled foot, and jumped to his feet, eyes blazing a familiar red. Naruto cursed; he was sick, cold, and out of shape, what a fucking _cheater!_

"Can't take me without your Sharingan, Sasuke?" He grunted, just before a fist collided into his stomach, and he gasped, eyes opening wide before slamming shut as he was tossed back and into a thick trunk of a tree.

"Still think every opponent is going to play fair, Naruto? You told me a long time ago- You'd break every bone in my body and drag me home." _I intend to do the same_ went unsaid, but understanding filled those blue eyes, before they looked away.

"Yeah, and why would I want to go back there? What's waiting there for me, Sasuke?" He asked quietly, wincing as he tried to move- obviously Sasuke had broken something.

Sasuke was suddenly in front of him, hands hesitatingly cupping his chin and forcing his head upwards. Black, unsettled eyes meeting his.

"Me."

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**Review, please. ;D They keep me going~**


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